FAA Lifts Flight Restrictions Post-Government Shutdown

Fri Dec 05 2025 05:16:56 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Federal Aviation Administration has announced the lifting of all restrictions on commercial flights across major airports following the longest government shutdown in history, marking a significant step toward resuming normal flight operations.

The FAA has lifted restrictions imposed on commercial flights at 40 major airports during the recent government shutdown, effective Monday at 6 a.m. EST. The decision comes after improvements in staffing at air traffic control facilities, allowing airlines to return to normal flight schedules just ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel season.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Sunday the lifting of all restrictions on commercial flights that were imposed during the government's lengthy shutdown. Effective Monday at 6 a.m. EST, airlines can resume their regular flight schedules.

The FAA issued these restrictions, which affected 40 major airports, due to safety concerns stemming from staffing shortages among air traffic controllers during the shutdown. The unprecedented order, originally implemented on November 7, aimed to mitigate risks as staffing levels dropped.

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford emphasized that safety evaluations led to the decision to rescind the order, indicating a steady improvement in staffing levels at air traffic control facilities since the shutdown ended on November 12.

Initially, flight reductions started at 4% and increased to 6% before being scaled back to 3% as conditions improved. Major hubs like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta were significantly impacted by these restrictions, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations across the nation.

Reports indicated that cancellations peaked on November 9, with over 2,900 flights being grounded due to the FAA's order and ongoing weather issues. However, operational conditions have been improving, with more controllers returning to their duties amid actions taken by Congress to end the shutdown.

The FAA acknowledged ongoing compliance issues and stated it would review enforcement options as necessary. Airline executives expressed optimism about a rapid recovery in operations, especially with Thanksgiving travel just around the corner.

Air traffic controllers, crucial to the safety of air travel, continued to work without pay throughout the shutdown, missing two paychecks during this time. Duffy's obtained safety data during the shutdown prompted necessary changes to ease pressures on the aviation system.

With the FAA lifting restrictions, the aviation industry anticipates a return to normalcy in the coming weeks, just in time for the busy Thanksgiving period, as they prepare to accommodate increased passenger numbers.